Hand Print of Your Love
by JemiLover101
Summary: A few years after the birth of the new spirit portal, Mako and Korra's friendship falls apart. Hurt and distraught, Korra leaves Republic City. Eight years later, she returns on a mission. The two find themselves struggling to be civil in each other's presence. Will they learn to mend their relationship, or will they fall deeper into despair?
1. Part 1

**This is a Makorra Gift Exchange present for lariren-shadow on tumblr. Enjoy!**

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A knock on the door wakes Mako from his daze. He blinks rapidly to adjust his eyes to the dimly lit room. A curse leaves his lips as he desperately attempts to straighten out his desk before he clears his throat and says, "Come in."

The twenty-year-old kid that was newly hired walks into Mako's office and gives a small, respectful bow before speaking. "I apologize for the interruption, Detective Mako. Chief Beifong appointed a partner to your new case. She wants you to get going as soon as you can."

Mako sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "I told Beifong that I don't need a partner. I can handle this case just fine on my own. Appointing someone new when I'm just about to solve it will complicate everything. So whoever it is, she can send them to a different case."

"Well, um, you see, that won't be very easy to do, seeing as Chief has already made up her mind. She assigned this person strictly to you, and she strongly believes you two are the best in the city for this job."

Mako raises an eyebrow. "Does she now? And just who is this person that she thinks so highly of?"

"Uh, the Avatar, sir."

_Crazy, crazy, this is crazy. I'm crazy._

Mako nervously adjust the collar of his dress shirt as he walks down the streets of Republic City towards Kwong's Cuisine. His eyes scan the surrounding area for a familiar face.

_I cannot believe I am doing this. I should just turn back now._

And then he spots her.

_Too late._

She looks the same as he had last seen her. Her hair had grown so it flowed past her shoulders. She is clad in Water Tribe attire, something he has never seen her in before. It is a dress that compliments her muscular build in the most beautiful ways.

As much as he tries to refrain himself, he cannot stop his heart from fluttering. She looks absolutely stunning.

His heart racing, Mako walks closer to her, debating whether he should call out to her. It has been too long since her name escaped his lips in something other than a dream. Right now, he is very much awake.

Before he can open his mouth, their eyes meet. Hers widen slightly before she offers him a small smile.

"Hey, Mako. Long time no see, huh?"

He stares at her. They are standing only a few feet apart. Their breathing is visible in the chilly night breeze. Time seems to stop for the two of them as the city continues with its liveliness.

Finally, he speaks. "Hi, Korra."

_He was going to do it. He was going to confess his love to her. Again._

_He had planned it for Varrick's wedding, rehearsing nonstop for days. But when he and Korra were finally alone, he couldn't get the words out. He couldn't understand it, but something about the way Korra stood, with her head slightly bowed and her eyes cast on the ground, told him that it was not the time for a confession. _

_Then she had disappeared, and so had Asami, and Mako realized that he might have missed his chance for good. _

_But as he watches her run towards him, he cannot help the feeling of longing._

"_Mako! Hey. How have you been? I've got so much to tell you!"_

"_Korra." He smiles at her. "Hey, me too. I've been wanting to say it for a while. Where have you been the past two weeks?"_

"_What – Two weeks? I didn't realize we were gone that long." She laughs and scratches the back of her head._

"_Ha, yeah. So, uh, you were with Asami?"_

"_Yeah, we took a little vacation to the Spirit World. We both needed a break from what happened."_

"_I see. . ." _And you didn't think that me or Bolin needed that?_ "Well I'm glad you're both safe."_

_Korra suddenly grins. "We are. And I cannot be happier." _

"_Really?" Mako raises an eyebrow as she fiddled with her fingers, rising up and down on the balls of her feet. _

_She bites her lips. "Yeah, uh, that's what I wanted to tell you. Me and Asami. . . we're dating now."_

_She eyes are bright as she stares up at him, as if she is searching for some form of congratulations. _

_Mako, however, does not know how to react. Part of him wants to accuse her for disappearing, again, without a single word. The other part of him wants to hold her as close as he can and never let go._

_He does neither. He only offers her a small smile, a mumbled "congrats," and leaved her wondering what she had done wrong._

He is in that spot again. Where he does not know what to say or where to look. Except this time, anger dominates his thoughts at the girl who had abandoned him so many years ago.

Korra's looks at the ground, then back at him, and he knows she is in the same position. With the smile still on her face, she takes a step towards him. Her arms rise slightly.

Mako looks away and walks past her towards the entrance of Kwong's. "Let's get going," he says. "The sooner we do this the sooner we can leave."

He ignores the pressing guilt as he hears Korra sigh.

They sit down at a table and immediately busy themselves with searching through the menu. When their food arrives, they eat in silence. Mako knows they will have to talk sooner or later. He prefers to keep the peace as long as he can.

He glances at Korra, who hadn't even eaten half of her food. She is poking and prodding at a piece of picken, mostly likely thinking about what she is going to say.

This is a good sign. She usually blurts things out before even considering the consequences.

She finally places her chopsticks down and sighs. "So how have you been, Mako?"

"Fine." He takes another bite of his food. They fall back into their uncomfortable silence. Korra makes no move to finish her meal. Mako sighs. "Look, I don't know why you're back, but I never asked for a partner on this case. You can just go back to whatever it was you were doing before."

Korra scowls and crosses her arms over her chest. "Trust me, I would like nothing more than to leave. But I heard of some trouble brewing in this city, and Raiko personally asked me to see to it. I had no idea that you would be on this case as well. Beifong refused to back either of us out of it."

"I see." He clears his throat. They are stuck with each other so they might as well try to act civil. "So, how's Asami."

Korra shrugs, staring at her plate. "I wouldn't know. We broke up a long time ago."

"Wait, what?"

"What?"

"Uh, nothing. I don't know, it just seemed like you really loved her."

"Yeah, well, people change."

Mako lets out a humorless laugh. "You would know."

She looks at him, and frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing." He tries to contain his laughter. "So what happened? Did she finally get sick of your bullshit too?"

Korra stands up abruptly. "I can't do this. I can't believe I actually agreed to meet up with you. I didn't know what I expected. I thought 'hey, it's been eight years, maybe things will be different.'"

"Things are different," Mako states matter-of-factly.

"Clearly, they aren't. You're the same as always."

"You're blaming this on me? You're the one that left."

"And now I remember why I did. I can never hold a decent conversation with you without you being an ass about it."

Mako remains silent as she rummages through her purse and places some money on the table.

"Look, I won't come in the way of your investigative work," she says. "If I find something important, I'll tell you. Otherwise, there's no reason for us to see each other."

Without another word, Korra walks away, leaving Mako to stare at her uneaten food. When she is out of sight, Mako slams a fist onto the table. He slumps down in his seat and rubs his eyes.

So much for trying to be civil.

"_Mako, honestly, what has gotten into you?"_

"_Nothing, Korra, just leave me alone."_

"_No. I've let you off the hook before, but that was because I didn't want to cause a drift in our friendship. But it has gone way too far. You keep distancing yourself from me, and it's making me worried."_

"_Well maybe if you stop disappearing on little field trips with Asami, you wouldn't feel that way."_

_Korra stops in her tracks. "What does Asami have anything to do with this?"_

"_Nothing," he says quickly. "My point is that you're the one that's being distant. Everyone is working their butts off to help rebuild Republic City, but most of the time, you're nowhere to be found."_

"_I'm sorry for that, Mako, but I kind of have my plate full. I'm the Avatar for the entire world, not just Republic City. I'll help you guys out as much as I can, but there's only so much that I can do."_

_Mako looks away from her and mumbles incoherently. _

"_What was that?" she demands. _

"_Nothing." And he walks away, leaving her more confused than before._

It is just like it was eight years ago. Mako and Korra avoid each other at all costs. The only time they see each other is when Korra stops by the station once in a while with valuable information. If they stay in the same room for more than five minutes, they will be at each other's throats.

The last time this happened, Korra got up and left Republic City. They both know that it will happen again, and they most likely won't see each other for another eight years. It is inevitable.

Yet for some reason, they grow solemn at the thought.

"Sir?" said the same kid who told informed him about Korra. "President Raiko wanted me to remind about the gala he is holding tomorrow night."

Mako sighs. "I haven't forgotten about it. But you can tell him that I will not be attending."

The boy nods and leaves.

Mako leans back in his chair and closes his eyes. _Partner or not, I refuse to see that woman even if I have to._

The same day, he is met with a pleasant surprise.

"Bolin? What are you doing here?" Mako steps into his apartment to find his brother sitting on the couch.

"I'm on break." Bolin grins and gives Mako a hug. "You would know that if you ever check your mail."

Mako chuckles. "Yeah, it's been a busy few days. How was your trip?"

"It was great. There were some places Opal wanted to stop by, otherwise we would have been here sooner."

"Where is she anyways?"

"She has some business at Air Temple Island, so I decided to come here first. And you won't believe it. Guess who I saw?" He answers excitedly before Mako can open his mouth. "Korra!"

Mako sighs. "I know, Bo. I ran into her a few times. Actually, we're partners for the case I'm currently working on."

"Really? So you guys are on good terms now?"

Mako lets out a humorless laugh. "Far from it. We can't stand breathing the same air."

"Wow. So nothing's really changed."

"You wouldn't expect them to after eight years of bitter hatred."

"It really is a shame. But hey, you never know. Things might get better between the two of you."

"I don't think so, bro."

The brothers spend the rest of the day catching up. With everything that had been going on, Mako didn't have time to even miss his little brother. He is thankful for the few hours they have now.

"By the way, Raiko invited me and Opal to the gala he's holding. You're coming, right?"

Mako's smile fades. "No, I don't think I am."

"Come one, don't be like that. You gotta have a little fun once in a while. Don't be so hell bent on trying to avoid Korra that you end up living under a rock."

"Who says I'm trying to avoid Korra?" Bolin raises an eyebrow. "Okay, fine, maybe I am. But it's for the best. Our relationship becomes worse every time we see each other. It just hurts, Bo."

Bolin gives him a sad smile. "You know, she was asking about you the last time we saw her."

"What?" Mako tries his hardest to sound nonchalant.

"Yeah. She's really worried about you. I think she seriously regrets being gone for that long."

Mako remains silent. He never expected Korra to think of him in her spare time, despite the fact that the damn woman plagued his thoughts every second of every day. The thought fills him with smug satisfaction, but he quickly shoves the emotion aside.

"That doesn't matter," he finally says. "Seeing her is just going to make me angry. Besides, I'm completely over her."

"Sure you are."

"What?"

"Nothing." Bolin clamps a hand down on his brother's shoulder. "But you should still come. For me and Opal. We're only here for a little while. It'll give us a chance to spend some proper time together."

"I don't know."

"Oh, come on, Mako." The firebender can't help but smile. That was the same tone Bolin had used when he was trying to convince Mako to let Korra stay during their big probending match. "For old time's sake. You know how hard it is for me an Opal to find time to travel. Please, Mako. Please, please, please, please, please –"

"Alright!" Mako laughs. "You got me. I'll go to the stupid gala."

"Yes! Bolin's still got it!" Mako rolls his eyes. "You know, big bro, this might give you a chance to actually talk to Korra. You two might be able to work things out."

Mako sighs and looks away from him. "I doubt it."

"_We have to talk."_

_Korra storms into his new office and slams a hand down on his new desk. _

_He sighs and glances at the small crowd of terrified people gathered by his door. Some of them had seen this exact situation five years ago. "Korra, I'm working."_

"_It can wait."_

"_No, it can't. It's best of you just leave without saying anything. You're drawing in a crowd." _

_She walks over to the door and slams it shut, after the people outside flee in terror. She turns back to him. "Mako, it's been two years. I thought that by now things would have been better between us."_

"_We're both swapped up in our work. There's no time for a nice little chat."_

"_That's not what I'm talking about. We both have different duties, but I always feel like you're targeting against me. Like you're trying to get back at me for something."_

"_I don't know what you're talking about." He keeps his eyes on his papers._

"_Oh, I think you do. You keep getting in my way. It's like you don't want me to accomplish anything! Whenever I get to the bottom of a crime, you always step in, and tell me to get lost. What, do you think that just because you got promoted and you have a fancy little office you can do whatever the hell you want?"_

_He finally looks at her. "This has nothing to do with anything that's going on between us. You're always sticking your nose in something that has nothing to do with you, and you're making it harder for the rest of us."_

"_Something that doesn't have to do with me? Spirits, Mako, I'm the Avatar. Whatever goes on in this city is my business because it's my job to make sure that everything is peaceful."_

"_Well maybe you wouldn't have to do much if you didn't mess everything up all the time."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_Nothing. Will you please leave? I have work to get to."_

"_No. We've got all day. So spill it."_

"_Fine." Mako stands up so abruptly that his chair falls over. He places both hands on his desk and leans over so his face is inches from Korra's. "You're over aggressive in situations where you don't need to be, you act without thinking, you cause more harm than good. When the city actually needs you, you disappear. It's like you learned nothing from your past!"_

_He winces as her expression molds from anger to hurt. The words didn't come out the way he intended, but he is too angry too care._

_Korra takes her hand off his desk and straighten up. "So, what you're saying is, you don't need me around here." _

_Mako straighten up as well. "Yes."_

"_And that's why you've been acting like an ass around me?"_

"_Yes." He bites the inside of his cheek to keep himself from screaming. _

_Korra nods. "Good to know."_

_With that, she leaves his office. Mako drops into his chair and rubs a hand over his tired face._ What the hell did I just say?

"Great, you made it. I thought you would bail."

Mako scowls as he walks towards his brother and Opal. "I can't believe you got me to do this."

"Well, I'm glad you're here. We've got something great to tell you."

Before Mako can open his mouth, Korra walks over to the group and places a hand on Bolin's shoulder. He cannot help the sudden leap in his heart as he gazes at the woman he had been trying so hard to avoid.

"So what's the big news that you couldn't tell me before?" she asks.

She refuses to look at him, but Mako continues to stare at her. For some reason, he can't take his eyes off of her. She is so beautiful in her strapless blue dress. Her hair spills over her shoulders and frames her face in the most wonderful way. Mako doesn't hear Bolin until she meets his eyes, and her smile fades.

"Mako, you okay?" Bolin asks. "Did you hear what I said?"

He tears his eyes away from his former lover with great difficulty. "What?"

"I said Opal's pregnant. I'm gonna be a dad!"

Mako takes a few seconds to absorb his brother's words. He blinks and shakes his head. "Wow, Bo. That's amazing. Congrats to both of you."

Opal chuckles. "Thanks, Mako. We've been wanting this for a while now. We thought that since we've been married for five years, we're ready to extend our family. You two are the first people we have told."

"Well, I feel honored," Korra speaks up. "I'm really happy for you guys. You're going to be amazing parents."

She hugs both of them in turn before she excuses herself.

Mako watches her disappear before he turns to his brother. "So, I'm going to be an uncle. That's. . . a weird thought." He laughs.

"Ha, yeah. It just feel so surreal saying it out loud."

"Well, I'm happy for you." He pulls Bolin into a hug.

"You know, big bro, you should really talk to her."

"Talk to who?"

"Don't play stupid. You know who. Don't think I didn't notice how you couldn't take your eyes off of her just now. It won't hurt to say a quick hello."

Mako rolls his eyes. "I already told you, that's not going to happen. I'm just here because you wanted me to come. Besides, I don't plan on staying long."

"Suit yourself, man. But try to lighten up. Prove to me that you're over Korra by talking to another girl. That shouldn't be too hard for you."

"We'll see."

Mako spends the rest of the night in one corner. He does not talk to anyone unless they address him first. The people who attempt to talk to him are usually coworkers or daughters of wealthy men, whom he only exchanges a few words with.

He spots Korra in the crowd once in a while, in deep conversation with political leaders. He keeps his eyes on her until she disappears. This goes on for about an hour, to the point where Mako strongly debates saying something to her.

A few moments later, Raiko calls all the guests together to formally toast Korra. He calls her over to make a speech, much against her will. As he watches her speak, Mako cannot help but notice the emptiness in her eyes. All the fire and confidence that had symbolized her entire being is almost completely gone, as if she never fully recovered after her three year rehabilitation period.

Mako's stomach twists with guilt at the thought. Maybe that had always been the case, and he never noticed because he was so blinded by his jealousy.

After dinner, he is wandering around the event hall deciding to drop everything and to head back home when he spots her at the bar. She looks exhausted. A finger traces the ring of her champagne glass.

He has always hated seeing her like this. To him, she is still the Korra that he had fallen in love with. She has changed a lot physically and emotionally, but there is nothing about her right in this moment that stops him from being pulled towards her.

With a deep breath, he approaches his ex.

_Mako finishes up his work as quickly as he can and leaves the station an hour earlier than usual. His previous conversation with Korra kept running through his head long after she left. The hurt in her eyes continued to haunt him until he couldn't take it anymore._

_He sprints towards Air Temple Island. His heart thuds loudly as an uneasy feeling settles in his chest. His doesn't know why, but there is a force that is silently pushing him to pick up the pace, as if he has some sort of time limit._

_As soon as the ferry docks, he runs through the courtyard, and past the confused air acolytes. His first guess about Korra's whereabouts is the training grounds. She always blows off steam by beating up inanimate objects. This time, however, she is not there. _

_His next thought is meditation, but he quickly rules that out. Korra never got over her hatred for it. Perhaps she is not even here. . ._

_Mako stops in his tracks. What if she is with Asami? He keeps forgetting that she has a new means of comfort now. The thought tightens the knot in his chest. His jaw set, and a hand curled into a fist, Mako gives up his search, and starts walking back to the docks._

"_Mako?" He turns to find Jinora walking towards him. "What are you doing here?"_

"_Hey, Jinora. I was just looking for Korra, but I guess she's not here."_

"_I saw her a few minutes ago. I think she went to her room, but she didn't look very happy – "_

_Mako is gone before she can say anything else. He cannot help but feel hopeful. Not talking to her is not an option anymore._

_He makes his way down to the women's dormitory, weaving his way through the halls with the memories of all the nights he had snuck down here. He thinks of their time apart, and knows that he cannot take another moment of it. Mako finds a new purpose in his steps, and breathes heavily until he reaches her door. He takes a few moments to compose himself before he lifts a hand to knock on her door. _

_A few seconds pass before it swings open, and Korra is gazing up at him. She blinks a few times in surprise before scowling. "What do you want, Mako?"_

"_I need to talk to you."_

"_I'm not in the mood for any more of your lectures." She attempts to close the door, but Mako pushes past her into her room._

"_I'm not here to give you a lecture. Look, I know things haven't been great between us, but I think you're right. We should talk about this."_

"_Well it's too late for that now."_

"_What do you mean?"_

_It is then that he notices her almost empty room. Her empty closet hangs open, her vanity table is bare. Mako's eye scan the room until they land on the suitcases in a corner._

"_Are you going somewhere?" he asks._

_Korra nods, looking at the ground. "I thought that since Republic City doesn't need me anymore, I should move on and offer my services to other nations."_

"_Korra, I didn't mean any of what I said – "_

"_I think you meant every word. And you know what, I guess I should thank you for that. You made me realize that I'm the entire world's Avatar, and that I should start acting like it."_

_Mako takes a step towards her. "Where will you go?"_

_She shrugs. "I don't know, the Fire Nation, maybe? Asami's never been there before, and it could be a good step to promote her business so – "_

"_Wait, Asami's going with you?"_

"_Yes. . . Of course she is."_

"_Oh." Mako turns his back to her to gaze out the window. The feeling of betrayal he felt before is back._

_Korra frowns. "Why do you sound so disappointed? You're the one who told me to leave. You're the one who keeps pushing me away when I try to mend things between us, and now you're jealous that Asami's coming with me instead of you."_

"_Who says I'm jealous? I'm just upset you're leaving like this without telling me. Again."_

"_I didn't think you'd care enough. Besides, there's nothing you can do about it now. I've made up my mind."_

_He pauses, then looks back at her. "How long will you be gone this time?"_

"_I don't know. Until some great force of evil shows up? I might not come back at all."_

"_I see. . ."_

"_Yup. So this is good-bye for now." She turns towards her belongings._

_Mako scoffs. "Don't expect any letters."_

"_I won't."_

"_It's not like you'll write back anyways. . ."_

"_Probably not."_

_Her bags are in her hands now. She doesn't look at him as she walks towards the door. Mako's heart suddenly feels heavy. He quickly thinks of something to say, and blurts out the first thought that comes to mind. _

"_You know, it would have been nice if you cared about me enough to actually swing by and say 'hey, I'm leaving, and I'll possibly never see you again, so anyways it was nice knowing ya.'"_

_Korra stops in her tracks, a hand on the doorknob. She slowly turns towards him. Mako winces when he sees the tears welling up in her eyes._

"_What did you just say?" Her voice is dangerously soft as she takes slow, dragging steps towards him. "I don't care about you enough? After all the trouble I go through to see you every once in a while when I have more important matters to take care of, after I waste all the free time I have to try and repair our fucked up relationship, after all the shit you give me, that I forgive you for because you're my best friend, you say that I don't care about you? How dare you?"_

_She clutches the frame of her bed so tight her knuckles become white. Her arms shake with anger._

"_Do you even know how much it _hurts _to see you? Whenever I'm near, you refuse to look me in the eye, and when you talk to me, you have this hostility in your voice that makes me think that I've done something wrong to you. Except I don't know what that is because whenever I ask you refuse to tell me. What the hell am I supposed to do to with that? Stay here with the false hope that everything will heal with time? Do you seriously think I have the emotional capacity for that?"_

_She furiously wipes away the few tears that dared to spill over, and she continues to talk._

"_You know what, maybe this is all my fault. Maybe I should have realized sooner that you don't want me around so I didn't keep coming back to you like the idiot I am. Spirits, I must have looked so _stupid_ and _thirsty_. But I guess it won't matter now, since I won't have to twist my own arm to see you. I can finally try to be at peace with the thought that you don't want me." She sniffs and takes a deep breath. "But I just. . . I just wish you would have told me how much you hate me sooner so I wouldn't feel so – "_

_He doesn't let her continue. Before she can finish her sentence, Mako's hands are on her face, gently cupping each cheek, and his mouth is on hers with a burning intensity. Korra's tears finally overflow. Mako wipes them away as he presses her closer to his body. All his restraints break apart. All the effort it took to avoid this very moment is forgotten as he holds onto his former lover like a life line. _

_Korra cries silently and leans into his familiar touch. Her hands go to his chest and tightly weave themselves around the fabric of his uniform._

_A hand behind her head, and the other clutching her waist, Mako has never felt more electrified._

_And in a few short seconds, it is over. Korra suddenly pulls away, and pushes him back. "What do you think you're doing?" she whispers._

_Mako sighs and places his hands on her arms. "I couldn't stand seeing you like that. I had to stop you." He rubs her elbow with his thumb. "The reason I came here in the first place wasn't to scold you. I realized I was being a major dick, and I didn't want our last conversation to leave off like it did. I came here to tell you my true feelings."_

_His arms circle around her waist and he gently pulls her closer. Korra shuts her eyes tightly and grips his waist. "Don't."_

_His rests his forehead against hers and speaks ever so gently. "I love you, Korra."_

_She sobs and tries to break away from his embrace. "Stop."_

_He tightens his hold on her. "Did you not hear me? I said I love you. I love you, and it's been hell trying to hide that. I can't talk to you or hold you the way I want because you don't belong to me anymore. It kills me every day that I have to push you away from me, but I don't have any other choice. Because if I don't hold myself back, it'll be even worse for both of us. I just didn't think it'd get to the point where I drive you away completely."_

_Korra buries her face in his shoulder in an attempt to muffle her sobs. She raises a fist and lets it weakly fall onto his chest. "I hate you."_

_He shuts his eyes; the pain slowly becomes unbearable. "I know."_

_Korra abruptly grabs his shoulders, and pushes him back enough to peer up at his face. Her face is set into a scowl, but her tears refuse to yield. "You're an ass, and I hate you. You hurt me like this just so you can live on comfortably. You hurt me like this so you can avoid saying a few stupid words. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you."_

_And she throws herself into his embrace. Her arms wrap around his neck, her mouth finds his, and they allow themselves the next few hours to make up for the lost time._

_Mako returns the kiss with equal passion, and every flashing warning sign in his head leaves, and it is just the two of them._

"_I hate you, I hate you, I hate you."_

_They fall onto the bed, and soon they're clothes are lost to their flames. I hate you's quickly change into I love you's. On this night, they are engulfed in a fire that they had been holding back for years._

_This night is theirs to cherish. _

_In the morning, however, Mako wakes to an empty bed, and a knot of regret in his chest._


	2. Part 2

**Yes yes I know this is hella late. Just shut up and enjoy**

* * *

Mako studies Korra as he slowly walks towards her. Her eyes remained fixed on the glass of champagne held between her fingers. She doesn't notice that he is standing next to her until he clears his throat.

She looks over her shoulder with an annoyed grunt, most likely expecting to find another wealthy person seeking a pleasant conversation with the Avatar. Her eyes widen with surprise when they meet his, but they quickly go back to their previous glaze of indifference.

"I thought you didn't drink," she says, turning her head away from him.

Mako glances at the flute in his hand, then looks back at her. "I could say the same to you."

She shrugs and chugs the rest of her drink. Mako's free hand fidgets awkwardly with the fabric of his dress pants as he tries to think of something to say. Korra beats him to it. "If you're going to stay here looking like a lost puppy, you might as well sit down."

Mako nods and does as she says, a wave of relief washing over him. They sit in silence for a couple of minutes, but it is not the uneasiness they felt the first night they reunited.

Korra breaks the silence by ordering a bottle of fire whiskey.

Mako raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure you should be drinking like this? There are a lot of reporters here who would love to print a story of their drunken Avatar."

"I know," Korra replies, "but I'm too tired to care. Are you going to help me finish this or not?"

A small smile forms on his face as he asks the bartender for a shot glass. Korra fills it up and takes a big swig out of her own before Mako has a chance to touch his drink.

"So, you want to tell me why you're here?" she asks.

"Bolin made me come – "

"No, I mean why you're here, sitting next to me."

"Oh." He rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I'm not exactly sure."

She lets out a humorless laugh. "I thought that since you were putting in so much effort to avoid me these last few weeks, you would stay away." She fills her glass again.

"Well if you don't want me here, you can just get up and leave. Since you're so good at that."

Korra freezes, her drink lifted halfway to her mouth. Mako holds his breath as he watches the emotions flash behind Korra's eyes. She remains in the same position for a few more seconds before she sighs and slowly brings her glass back down.

"I'm sorry," Mako says quickly. "I didn't mean to – "

"You really hate me, don't you?" Korra interrupts, not hearing his previous statement.

He hesitates. There is no one answer that can describe what he feels for her, at least none that won't have them causing a scene in front of so many people. So he picks the easiest. "Yes."

"Oh." Korra stares absently at the table.

"Were you expecting anything different?"

"No, I wasn't." Without another word, she pushes out of her seat and turns to walk away.

Mako blinks. _What have I done wrong this time?_

His stool scraps against the marble floor as he stands just in time to catch Korra by the arm. "Why are you mad? What the hell is it that you want me to say?"

She scowls. "I don't want anything from you. I'm just done talking."

"Why?" he asks stupidly. He wants to sit with her like he had been for a little longer; in silence with no knowledge of anything, only her presence, her sweet scent, her steady breathing.

Korra yanks her arm away from him. "Why do you care? It's not like you have anything to say to me. None of our conversations end well anyways, so we should just end it here before we end up strangling each other. I thought you would at least have something interesting to say to me by now, considering the fact that you couldn't take your eyes off me this whole night."

Mako stares at her in horrified silence. He clears his throat and nervously tries to laugh it off. "Oh, I didn't realize that you had noticed."

"It was hard not to. I felt so uncomfortable, I wanted to walk right up to you and smack you out of it."

"Well, thank you for not doing so."

"You're welcome." Korra chuckles and plops back down on her seat. "So I'll ask you again; what do you want?" She grasps the bottle of fire whisky and takes a swig.

Mako studies her for a few seconds before answering. "A normal conversation, I guess."

Korra laughs. "That's not going to be possible for us. Our conversations always end badly.'

"Can't we try?"

"We can, but it won't turn out well."

"Are we going to stay like this for the rest of our lives then?" Korra doesn't answer. "Do you want us to stay like this?"

She sighs. "No. I don't know. Everything is really confusing. I don't have the time to worry about petty personal issues."

Mako scowls, and looks away from her. "Fine, then don't."

"I didn't mean to say it like that," she mumbles.

"Whatever. Don't sweat it."

They fall back into the familiar discomfort of silence. Korra sinks her head into her hands blows out a long sigh.

Mako clears his throat. "Well, I for one hope that this – whatever is going on between us – does not last forever."

Korra slowly lifts her head to meet his eyes. He holds her gaze with confidence he isn't sure he has, all the while praying she won't hit him for saying something stupid.

She suddenly smiles, and Mako's heart is sent flying. "You want a normal conversation? We'll have one. Right now I'm too drunk to think coherently, and I don't want to unintentionally hurt you. Meet me at Narook's this Sunday for dinner."

Mako is left speechless as she stands and slowly runs a hand through his hair. The sensation of her warm palm against his forehead triggers memories that he had long ago filtered out. Now they intrude his mind just as abruptly as Korra had walked back into his life.

Her fingers linger on his cheek as she offers him a small smile before she leaves. The place she touched burns like a handprint embedded into his being.

* * *

Mako taps his fingers restlessly on the rough restaurant table. He arrived just on time as Korra had asked him to, but the Avatar is nowhere in sight. Mako would laugh at his false hope if he can only push away the disappointment that plagues him.

Korra most likely realized that she doesn't want to talk to him after all. Mako knows he should have expected her to ditch, but the thought of sitting down and talking to her over dinner like a normal person filled him with so much joy, he didn't want to trust his instincts. He now knows to never do that again.

Just as he is ready to angrily call over the waiter, Korra sprints into the dining hall until she finds him. Mako's heart leaps as he watches her catch her breath before she grins and slides into the booth across from him.

"I hope you didn't have to wait too long," she says. "I told you to be on time, but I'm the one who is late."

"I – it's fine." He lowers his eyes to the table. "Uh, did you get held up at a meeting?"

Korra rolls her eyes. "Yeah. They would not stop talking. It would have taken all day if I hadn't left first."

Mako's eyes widen. "You didn't have to do that. I would have understood."

"I know, but knowing you, you would have overreacted before I got the chance to say anything." She smirks at his discomfort. "Besides, we're both busy people so this might be the only time we get to properly sit down and talk about something that doesn't have to do with our case."

Mako cannot help but smile. He spent the previous night planning what he was going to say to her, but now that she is in front of him without any trace of hostility, he is at a loss for words. He is able to make pathetic small talk before their food arrives.

Mako tugs at the cuff of his sleeves cursing his brother for making him wear uncomfortable clothing upon hearing the news of their evening together.

Looking up from his plate, he finds Korra's eyes glued to her chopsticks idly picking at her food. The scene reminds Mako of the night of their reunion. He is determined to make things end in the exact opposite manner than it had back then.

"Are you alright?" he blurts out, mentally kicking himself for saying something so stupid and panicked.

"I'm fine." Korra says without looking at him.

"Come on, you love noodles, but you haven't even taken a bite. The reason we're doing this is so that we can talk, so start talking."

She shrugs her shoulders. He scowls at her lack of response, a gesture she returns. "If you're going to be so restless, why don't you just start the conversation?" Korra says, irritated. "Spirits, you're so impatient."

Mako stares at her incredulously. _Look who's talking._

He straightens himself up and sighs. "Fine, I'll start off. Why did you leave so suddenly eight years ago?"

Korra's eyes grow wide, and she drops her chopsticks. The two lock eyes, challenging the other to say something. Korra finally sighs, and gives in. "That's a bit abrupt, don't you think?"

"You asked me to start a conversation, and I did. Frankly, that's been the only thing on my mind regarding you, and I would like to have it answered." That was a lie, but she doesn't have to know that.

"Alright, fine. I'll tell you."

Mako's heart begins to race; he was not expecting her to comply so easily.

Korra takes a few bites of her food before she locks eyes with him once more. "I left because I was scared. I was scared that you didn't want me anymore. I was scared that you hated me, but even more than that, I was scared that I would love you too much only to end up getting hurt. That talk I had with you confirmed my fears, and I couldn't stay any longer."

"I already know all that!" he snaps. "What I want to know is why you left after I found you on Air Temple Island." His face burns with the memories of that night.

"What we did was a mistake," Korra says, reading his mind. Her face is expressionless, almost bored. "We were too caught up in one another, and I had almost forgotten that my heart belonged to someone else."

"So what you're saying is, you didn't mean any of what you said to me."

She shrugs. "Who knows?"

"Korra. . ."

"What? It's not like you meant any of it either."

"Do you really think that?"

"It doesn't matter to me if it's true or not. Believing the latter just makes it easier to hate you."

Mako stares at his food. His appetite had disappeared long ago. "And how has that been for you? Are you at peace now?"

Korra offers him a small smile. "I've haven't been further from peace since my recovery period in the South Pole."

He leans forward, holding her gaze. "Why is that?"

Korra blinks slowly, collecting her thoughts. "I guess that. . . One of the reasons why I left was because I wanted to find a new purpose. I wanted to travel and learn all that there is to know about the world. That thought brought me back to the time we explored the Earth Kingdom searching for airbenders. Despite the way that journey turned out, I had a great time just traveling. I loved being on the road because I never had that opportunity while I was training. I guess that's why I left Republic City so much. And when I left for good, I thought that desire would distract me from the pain of losing you. It worked for a while, but I could never shake off the feeling of loneliness. No matter how many places I visited, no matter how many people I met, it was never satisfying."

"So what you're saying is," Mako says awkwardly. "You want to settle down?"

Korra's cheeks heat up as she looks down at her food. "I don't know. Maybe."

"How long have you felt like this?"

"I realized it when Bolin and Opal delivered us the big news. I had been searching for a purpose for so long, and in just a few words, they had found theirs. I just felt like a part of me was missing."

"I see."

Korra looks back at him. "I'm sorry for piling all that onto you so suddenly."

"Don't be. You merely answered my question. Besides, it's not healthy to have all those pent up feelings."

She chuckles. "It did make me feel a little better."

"I'm glad." Mako smiles.

"So how about you, city boy? Anything new and exciting with you or are you the same old boring person you were back then?"

"I'm not boring," he mumbles.

"Oh, sorry, my bad. I meant dorky."

"I'm not that either."

"Really? You can say that? Do you not remember the time you literally _slept_ at the station for two weeks straight because you got too flustered when you were around me?"

Mako lifts his head to throw a snarky retort at her, but Korra's grin disarms him completely. Her eyes hold the playful glint that he had seen the first time he met her. Instead of her previous aura of caution, she is relaxed with her mouth full of noodles, some dripping down her chin.

The sight makes Mako laughs before he can stop himself.

Korra frowns, taken aback by his uncharacteristic response. "What?"

"It's nothing." Mako pressed his lips together and hands her a napkin.

She looks at it with confusion before touching her face. Her eyes grow wide before she yanks it away from him in embarrassment.

Mako laughs again as she glares at him.

The rest of the meal is spent with Korra recounting stories about her adventures in different places of the world. Mako barely touches his dessert; he can't take his eyes off of her.

It is an understatement to say that he is surprised at how the night turned out. Their only argument is over who pays the bill, which Korra wins.

They leave Narook's and Mako decides to walk her towards the docks.

The city is alive as it is every night. The warm lights surround the two in a comfortable hue, the world around them whizzing past in a blur.

They are crossing the bridge leading towards the docks when they hear a boom. Korra jumps and grabs onto Mako's sleeve. He freezes as she gets into a defensive stance and turns her head to survey their surroundings. There is another bang and a flash of light.

The duo looks up to see fireworks dancing across the night sky. Korra relaxes and chuckles. "Sorry, that startled me. I didn't know they were doing this."

Mako struggles to speak, noticing that she was still hanging onto his arm. "Yeah, they do this every once in a while. Perks of living in the city is that you get used to it."

Korra gazes at the flashes of lights and shapes with the awe of a child witnessing such a phenomenon for the first time.

Mako smiles and nudges her shoulder with his. "You wanna stay and watch this for a while?"

Korra grins. "Can we? Let's go."

She grabs his arm with both her hands and leads him to the edge of the bridge for a better view. A large crowd forms as the fireworks grows bigger and louder. Mako finds himself crushed between Korra and a big man holding his son on his shoulders. He looks from the child to the Avatar and is amused to find that they are wearing the same expression.

Korra raises an eyebrow at him when he chuckles. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." He slides behind her to allow the bigger man more space. The ever persistent clump of people continues to press forward. Mako stumbles and catches himself with one hand on Korra's shoulder and the other on the railing in front of her.

He feels her stiffen under his touch. She furrows her brows, contemplating something in her mind. A few seconds later, she relaxes under his hand and melts into his grip.

The crowd suddenly erupts in "ooohs" as a platform is raised on Yue Bay and five figures station themselves across it a few feet apart from each other. Korra inches forward so far Mako tightens his hold on her shoulder in fear that she might fall over the edge of the bridge.

"Who are they? What are they doing? Is the city under attack or something?"

Mako rolls his eyes. "And you say I'm the one that overreacts. Just shut up and watch."

Korra turns to stick her tongue out at him before she quickly whips her head back to the figures on the platform.

From where the two are standing, they seem to be three females and two males clad in traditional Water Tribe apparel. With their backs are turned towards the audience, they simultaneously raise their arms above their heads. Pillars of water shoot up from the bay, twisting and turning in unison to the benders' bodies, subservient to their commands.

Korra gasps loud enough for Mako to hear. "They're dancers! They're waterbending dancers. Just like the metalbenders we saw at Zaofu! This is awesome!"

Mako smiles, unable to tear his eyes away from her. "Yeah. It's really amazing."

He tightens his grip on her shoulder before logic can stop him. Without tearing her eyes away from the spectacle before them, Korra lifts her hand and places it on top of his. He curses at himself, expecting her to push him away. Instead, her fingers curl under his.

Within a few moments, the show is over. Mako wakes from his daze when the crowd erupts in cheers. Korra laughs and claps excitedly with everyone else.

Finding an opening through the wall of people, Mako tugs on Korra's hand and tries to reach the open air before they get trampled again.

_Tonight of all nights the entire city has to act like they're seeing fireworks for the first time._

Korra notices Mako's disgruntled demeanor and laughs. "Take it easy, detective. I'm in no hurry to get back."

"Oh, well, that's good I guess." He glances at their hands which were still intertwined. Clearing his throat, he quickly weaves his fingers out of her, hoping to the spirits that he only imagined her disappointed pout. He shoves both hands in his pockets and walks in front of Korra.

They remain silent for a few minutes until they reach the docks. Korra is informed that the ferry will a few moments to return, and the two are left standing an awkward distant apart, the only sounds coming from the rise and fall of the bay.

"Thanks for tonight," Korra says finally. "I had a really good time."

Mako looks at anything but her eyes. "That's good. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

Korra scowls and steps forward to punch his arm. "Hey cool guy, I mean it. When somebody tells you something that comes from the bottom of their heart, you better give them your undivided attention."

He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm just overwhelmed I guess."

"By what?"

He shrugs. "I guess I didn't expect this night to end as well as it did. I'm not complaining though." He laughs nervously. "I really am happy that you enjoyed yourself. I had fun as well."

"Good." She smiled and turns towards the bay, but not before he hears her whisper, "dork."

The ferry arrives a few seconds later.

"So, I'll see you at the station?" Korra says.

"Yeah. See you then."

And before he can stop himself, before he can chicken out, Mako places his hands on Korra's face and gently presses his lips against hers.

He waits for a sign to tell him that he has screwed up, to tell him that he was living too long in his fantasies, and he was the only one experiencing that fireworks from the inside.

All hope – or was it fear? – for that sign leave him as Korra grips his shirt and leans against him until she is standing on her toes.

This feeling of reckless abandon only lasts a few seconds before Korra pulls away. She is still hanging on to his shirt, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What are you doing?" Her voice comes out in a horse whisper.

"Kissing you," he says stupidly.

"Oh." She steps away from his embrace and turns her back to him. "I'll see you later, I guess."

Mako watches her board the ferry. He stays rooted to the same spot until it is no longer in view.

Tightening his hand into a fist, Mako slowly walks back to his apartment, wishing that each step would give him enough pain to numb his embarrassment.

He sighs and decides to surrender to his mind.

_One night. One night is all it takes for me to fall back in love with her._

And still, a voice at the back of his mind keeps nagging him.

_But did you ever stop loving her?_


End file.
